Whats lurking in your carpet ?

Biocontaminants

Insoluble particulate soiling

Volatile organic compounds

Sand

Combustion products

Quartz

Asbestos

Gypsum

Dust mites

Soil

Epidermal waste

Dirt

Chemical contamination

Food particles

Migrated outdoor pollutants

Pesticides

Grease and oil deposits

Allergens

Big words, but what do they mean? Quite simply, if your carpet acts like a sink, then it filters and collects sources of soil, bacteria, allergens, and pollutants from the indoor environment. These contaminants are part of what makes your carpet "ugly-out." This "collection" and "filtering" process allows carpet to trap contaminants within the carpet. Hard surface floors may allow these contaminants to continue to "roam" throughout the indoor environment. But like any filter, you carpet needs to be periodically cleaned out.

If these contaminants are in your house, they could be contributing to you and your family's health and allergy problems. Bacteria, pollutants, and allergens trapped in your carpet can contribute to an unhealthy indoor environment. Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills, head of Allergic Medicine at the University of Virginia Medical School, estimates somewhere between 500,000 to 1,000,000 hospital visits are made each year by patients allergic to biocontaminants (fungi, mites, cockroaches, bacteria).

Dr. Michael Berry, Deputy Director of the Environmental Criteria and Assessment office of the Environmental Protection Agency stated, "Based on what I have learned in recent months from researchers working in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, I have reached the conclusion that carpeting and fabrics not cleaned and properly maintained have the potential to cause a variety of health problems inside the building environment." So what can you do about all these things that are lurking in your carpets?

WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT ALL THOSE "LURKING-THINGS"?

For one thing, periodic vacuuming. Vacuuming can remove a great deal of this soiling. But most vacuum bags allow small particles to pass through them. These released particles tend to build up over time and have the greatest potential to cause harm as they are inhaled deep into the lungs. Many other types of contamination simply cannot be removed by regular vacuuming. That is why it is absolutely essential that you have your carpets periodically cleaned professionally. Professional Carpet Cleaning by the Hot Water Extraction method makes a significant positive contribution to removing these contaminants. Recent tests performed by organizations such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Institute, and the Carpet and Rug Institute have demonstrated that professional cleaning can contribute to a reduction in indoor air pollutants.

Here's what Dr. Berry of the EPA has stated: "Every time carpets and fabrics are emptied of their pollution buildup through professional cleaning methods, there is a health benefit. Cleaning processes that extract pollutants from the environment enhance the quality of the indoor environment by reducing exposure. Cleaning, especially through extraction, improves environmental conditions and health protection."

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR CARPETS CLEANED?

How often you should have your carpets professionally cleaned depends on a number of circumstances. Du Pont, the world' s largest manufacturer of fibers, recommends cleaning at least once every eighteen months. But other considerations may increase the frequency rate: smoking habits, number and ages of children, soiling conditions, humidity, temperature, condition of the outdoor environment, health status of occupants, allergy conditions, number and type of pets, and the types of activities being conducted are just a few.

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